Improvement in harvesters



IJNTTED STATES PATENT Ottica.

I/VILLIAM N. WHITELEY, JR., OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 52,3%), dated JanuaryF0, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM N. WHITE- LEY, J r., of Springfield, in thecounty ofOlarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a plan view of my machine.Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe outer side of the same, the outerbearing-wheel being removed. Fig. 3 is a section of the inner shoe,showing the connection and operation of the lever by which the outer endof the cutting apparatus may be raised from th .-ground. Fig. 4is anelevation of the bracket. showing the vertical liange placed on theirner side of the side bar of the trame. Fig. 5 shows the ratchet andpawl and the cam-plat )by Which the drivin g-wheels are thrown in or outof gear with the mechanism which drives the cutters. Fig. 6 is a rearelevation of my in ichine, showing the position of the cutting apparatuswhen the pitrnan may be unhooked from the cutter-bar, and also theposition of the cutting apparatus when folded over the main frame fortransportation. Fig.l

7 is a bottom plan of the inner shoe and bracket connecting the sam. tothe main frame. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the inner shoe andbracket, showing the manner of attaching and detaching said shoe. I` g.9 is an elevation ofthe guide and stop-plate for the hand-lever whichraises the outer end of the cutting apparatus. Figs. l0 and l1 areelevations of the curved standard and sector-plate by which thebearing-wheel is attached to the main frame and by which the height ot'said frame from.the ground is regulated. Figs. 12 and 13, areperspective views of the outer shoe, showing the manner of attaching thetrackclearer thereto.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in an improved manner ofconstructing and attaching the inner shoe, s i thatit inay be attachedor removed by the simple loosening of a single screw; second, in themanner of connecting the track-clearer to the outer shoe, so that thereshall be no projection to catch the cut grass, and also that the strainof drawing the track-clearer shall not come upon the bolt which securesit, and so that the track-clearer cannot hang vertically from 'the outershoe when the cutting apparatus is folded, and thus be liable to catchand be broken by the driving-wheel; third, in the peculiar constructionand attachment of the lifting-lever, so that the cutting apparatus maybe permitted to rise and fall with the undulations of the ground, or maybe raised slightly or entirely folded overthe main frame without anychangev or substitution of parts, in connection with constructing thecutting apparatus and its attachments so as to permit the pitman to beunhooked and the cutters withdrawn without the removal or loosening ofpin, screw, or spring.

That others may understand the construction and operation of myinvention, I will more particularly describe it.

Figs. 5, 9, and l0 are not concerned in this application.

A A is the main frame of the machine, constructed in a rectangular form,and with that side piece which is toward the cutting apparatus or innerside ot' the frame projected backward from the rear ot' the frame, asshown at c, Fig. 1. To this extended part the cutting apparatus isattached, and I am thus enabled to use a shorter frame than wouldotherwise be possible, and also to secure other advantages hereinafterto be mentioned.

In order to attach the cutting apparatus firmly to the frame A, Iconstruct a metallic plate, B, fitted to the lower side of the sidepiece, a., provided with a wing, b, extending laterally from B and lyingbeneath the rear cross-piece of the frame, as seenv in Fig. 6. Thisstrengthens that corner ot' the frame materially, and when taken inconnection with the frame, as described in my application 13, iiledherewith, it will be found to render the frame A very rigid. In order torender the attachment of the plate B still more secure, I provide also avertical iiange, c, which eX- tends upward along the outer or inner edgeof the side piece, a, about covering its entire width, so that the boltO may pass through it and thus bind it and the rear end of the framesecurely together. From the position of the plate B and the direction ofthe forces tending to displace it, it will be observed that the verticalflange c is of prime necessity to secure stability ot' these parts.rlhese forces act upon the cutter-bar in the line ot' its forwardmovement, and the resultant strain upon the plate B tends toward alateral movement of the same, and this tendency brings a shearing strainupon the vertical bolts which secure it to the frame. A shearing strainwill either fracture the bolt or the sides of the bolt-hole will yieldand the bolt become loose. But it' the vertical flange be used the sametendency to lateral movement does not result in a shearing, but in anendwise strain upon the horizontal boltv O, whether the same be used tobind the rear of the frame together, as shown, or not, and whether thevertical ange c be" interior or exterior. Without the vertical ian ge,then, it will be perceived that the front end of the bracket must alwaystend to draw away from the frame, and the shearing strain upon thevertical bolt must inevitably loosen that end of the bracket, while, ifa vertical flange be used there cannot be any such strain, nor can thatend. of the bracket ever get loose without an immediate adjustment beingpossible by tightening the nut at the end of the horizontal bolt.

From the outer edge of plateB project the two arms C C, each having atits outer end a cylindrical head,D D, Figs. 1, 2, 3,and 7. Thesecylindrical heads have coincident'axes, and said axes are parallel withthe line of the forward movement of the machine. Through their centers,in a line with the axes, are drilled holes, and into these holes arefitted the bolts d d. The bolt dhas at its outer end a shoulder, and issecured in place by the set-screw c. When said set-screw is loosened thebolt may be withdrawn inward so as to release the shoe, as will morefully appear hereinafter. The bolt d is rigidly secured, its outer endprojecting a short distance, and its inner end provided with a threadand nut, f, which secures upon said inner end the lever E, wiehh movesupon it as a fulcrum. l

The shoe F is of ordinary construction. Its front and rear ends arecurved upward, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of secure and easyattachment to the main frame, as well as to enable it to run easilyforward and backward over the stubble or grass. 'Ihe cutting apparatusis attached in the ordinary manner. The shoe F is connected ordisconnected with great facility by the set-screw e and bolt d. Theoperation is clearly shown in Fig. 7, where it is seen that by looseningthe set-screw e the bolt d may be slipped endwise and inward, as shownby the red lines. lt is thus slipped entirely away from the rear bearingof the shoe F, which may then be disconnected from the bolt d by simplyremovin git from the projected end of that bolt. This operation is soobvious and well understood that it needs no further elaboration. Theshoe and cutting apparatus may be replaced and connected in the samesimple and efficacious manner.

The lever E serves to raise the outer end of the cutting apparatus whilethe machine is in operation to pass it over any obstruction in its road.It is a curved lever, its upper end being bent over the main frame ofthemachine, so as to be readily connected by a chain or cord to'thehand-lever G, by which it is operated. Its lower end projects below itsfulcru m--the boltd-and rests againsta shoulder,

ble connection, as a chain.

g, on the upper side ot' the shoe F, as shown in Fig. 3. From this itwill appear evident that it' the upper end ot' E be pressed downwardandinward, the lower end of the same will move outward and upward and pushthe shoe in the same direction, for they both move upon the same axis;and it' the shoe F moves upon its bearings outward and upward the outerend of the cutting apparatus will partake of the same motions in amagnied degree. If the lever G be thrown down upon the main frame.- asshown in Fig. 2, so that there will be n; strain upon the lever E, thenthe outer end the cutting apparatus will float over the uni dulations ofthe ground, as shown by red and blue lines in Fig. 3.

VAs before sta-ted, the upper end of the lever E is connected to thehand-lever G by a iiexi- For convenience ot' attachment and use, thelower or rear endl of the hand-lever G is composed ot' an arc oi",-inetal, concave on its edge, concentric to the fulcrum-pin upon whichthe lever moves. This arc is shown at h, Fig. 2. By it, as is wellknown, the leverage will be uniform. In.or der to steady the movement ofthe hand-lever G up and down, as well as to provide a stop by which itmay be held in an elevated position, if it should be desirable tomaintain the outer end of the cutting apparatus away from the ground forany length of time, I provide a standard, H, Figs. 1, 5, and 8. Thisstandard I curve, as shown, so that the top is bent slightly backward,and, as a stop t'or the handlever G to hold the outer end of the cuttingapparatus above theground when raised up, I make a shoulder, i, at itsupper end by cutting away a portion of its inner side. At the lower endof the standard H, I provide two anges-one horizontal, the otherverticalto embracethe upper and inner sides of the side bar, a. Throughthe vertical flange passes the bolt k, which forms the fulcrum of thehand-lever G. The horizontal flan ge may also be secured by a bolt orscrew, as shown in Fig. .1. p

At the outer end ot the cutting apparatus, and attached to the outershoe, is a pronged revolving track-clearer. As heretofore constructed,the bolt and head connecting the track-clearer to the shoe has beenallowed to project from the surface of the shoe, as shown in Fig. l.VThis method has appeared objectionable for the reason that some ot' thecut grass will get into the joint of this connection and clog itsoscillatory motion, and when the cutting apparatus is folded over uponthe machine the track-clearer will hang vertically, and be liable tocatch the bearing-wheel and be broken. To remedy this evil and to removethe strain ot' drawing the track-clearer over the ground, I constructthe circular recess J, Figs. 11 and l2. In the center of this recess thestud L is left in solid metal, and through its center is the bolt-holefor the bolt, which secures the track-clearer to the shoe. The head M-of the track-clearer is fitted over the stud L, so that when in positionit does not rise above the surface of the vertical portion of the shoe,and all the grass which falls .in that direction will pass freely andunobstructedly upon the revolving portion of the track-clearer.Arouiul-headedbolt,N, maybe used to retain the head M in place upon thestud L; and when the outer shoeis raised from the ground by the lever GIand E, or when completely folded over for transportation, the edges Inm, Figs. 'll and 12, form stops, allowmg the track-clearer but a limitedlateral moon, so that when the outer shoe is raised a l little distancefrom the ground the track- Jis a little elevated, but when thecuttingapparatus is f'olded over for transportation there is constantliability that it will swing against the driving-wheel and be broken. Aswill appear obvious, neither of these difjiculties can occur with mypresent arrangement.

The bolts l? and O bind the front and rear ends of the main frameAtogether. The bolt O, passing through the vertical flange c of thebracket-plate B, eflectually prevents the side strain of the cuttingapparatus from loosening or drawing away the bracket from its seat. Thebolt P passes through lugs or apertures otherwise provided in thetongue-plate R, so that it serves to secure the tongue to the machineand transmit the moving power.

The mode of attaching the shoe and cutting apparatus has been describedalready. When they have been properly secured, by raising the cuttingapparatus into the position shown in Fig. 5 the cutter-bar may besuffered to run out far enough to expose the eye, as is shown in saidfigure, and then the pitman may be hooked into the said eye, and as thecutting apparatus is lowered to the ground again, or is folded over intothe position shown by red lines in Fig. 5, the cutter-bar will be drawnback again by said motion of the cutting apparatus in conjunction withthe pitman, for it will be observed that when the cutting apparatus iseither extended on the ground or is folded over upon the machine fortransportation the pitman cannot be withdrawn far enough to free the eyeof the cutter-bar from the guides between which it and the pitman-headruns. This is in consequence of the fact that the line of motion of thepitman so nearly coincides with the line of motion of the cutters ineither of the positions named, and it is only when the cutters areraised up so as to be at nearly right angles with the pitman that thecutterbar can be sufficiently withdrawn to allow the pitman to be hookedor unhooked.

This arrangement of parts is found to be excellent, for, no pins,screws, latches, or springs being required to keep the cutter-bar frombeing withdrawn too far, it follows that no trouble can arise from theloss or derangevantage is experienced in the facility with which thecutters may be removed and replaced when requiring to be sharpened, aswill in some fields occur many times per day. At such times the removalof pins, keys, nuts, or screws is always annoying and inconvenient.

ln practice the pressure of the ngers upon the cutter-bar while foldingthe cutting apparatus will be sufficient to prevent the cutters runningout of place, and if the inner shoe be resting upon the ground while thecutting apparatus is being folded (as is commonly the case) not eventhis precaution will be necessary.

The lever E, being permanently attached to change of position of thecutting apparatus and inner shoe, and, as shown in Fig. 3, the cuttingapparatus may rise and fall in regard to the level of the machine, or itmay be raised up and folded over upon the frame without in sany waydisturbing said lever, which only comes in to use when it is desired toraise the outer end of the cutting apparatus, at which time by pressingdownward the upper end of the said lever the outer end of the cuttingapparatus will be raised up.

and lever E, I consider it most convenient to produce through the mediumof the handlever Gr by having its forward end lifted up by theattendant. It sometimes happens that it is required to maintain thecutting apparatus in this position during some little timeas, forinstance, in driving across the end of the field, Sac-when it manifestlywould be inconvenient to so hold it with the hand. I therefore providethe stop fl, which may be caused to hold the lever G in its elevatedposition as long as desired.

The operation of the track-clearer has been sufficiently describedheretofore.

It will be observed by reference to Fig. l that the tongue is soarranged as to be very near the inner or left-hand side bar of themachine. The effect of this arrangement is.to cause the draft of themachine to be communicated through said inner side piece to the cuttin gapparatus, which is attached firmly to the rear end thereof.

ment, no strain upon the joints of the frame of the machine and notendency to twist the frame out of square, for the effect is to bringthe strain of the draft upon a continuous straight timber, and there istherefore no necessity for diagonal braces, and the general weight ofthe bulk and main frame may be reduced.

Among the advantages of my method may be mentioned simplicity andcheapness of construction, lightness and easy draft, facility ofhandling and adjustment in the field, and, from its simplicity ofconstruction, non-liability to derangernent. 1

ment of any of these; but the principal ad-` the bracket, as shown, itis not affected by any This latter motion of the cutting apparatus Thereis, in consequence of this arrange- Having described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire 4to secure by Letters Patent, is

' .1. In combination with the track-clearer of a mowing-machine, thestud L and shoulders m m, or their equivalents, for the purpose setforth.

2. In combination with the shoe F, the sliding` bolt d, for the purposeof rendering the shoe and cutting` apparatus easy of attach- `ment anddetachment, substantially as described.

3. The combination or arrangement of the Witnesses:

R. D. O. SMITH, A. S. H. SMITH.

